Asia - 2006


	Asia (2006)

Photos per year (number): 1995 (70) 1998 (302) 1999 (775) 2001 (50) 2002 (429) 2004 (235) 2005 (396) 2006 (584) 2007 (472) 2008 (327)


View towards the west	Raffles Hotel	Chijmes	Looking towards Orchard Road	Vehicles drive by below my window	Raffles Hotel	Raffles City and Swissotel	Central Business District and historical area	CBD by night	The shortest walkway ever!

Symbol of Japan	Welcome to Japan...	Immigration counters	Men on their laptops, also connected by phone	On board the Narita Express	And this is just the view of the rail network...	Narita Express, here I come	A middle-aged man reads his manga in the train	Quiet street near my hotel	My basic 10sqm room

Some pretty techy toilet!	Night buzz of Shinjuku	Bright neons of Shinkuju	Bustle of Yasukuni-dori Avenue	Side streets are also very busy	Tokyo the way people imagine it	More lights everywhere	All having a good Saturday night	Baseball practice fields	Another baseball practice place

A singer in Shinkuju	My first meal in Japan!	Recovering from a surely wild night	Here's the place I'm looking for	Empty Tsukiji fish market!	An old man is one of the rare people around	Ginza skyscrapers contrast with the fish market	The empty stalls of Tsukiji	A stall in the fish market	Small shrine near Tsukiji

A great choice of sushi!	Here's my full sushi set!	Preparing the restaurant for lunch time	Full choice of nigiri-sushi	Chef writing some offers on paper	Tsukiji Sushi Sen restaurant	Subway arriving	Ginza buildings next to the Moat of the Imperial Palace	Joggers near the Imperial Palace and Ginza business district	Japanese love to get their picture taken, of course

The classic view of the Nijubashi bridge and Imperial Palace	A group coming for pictures in front of the Imperial Palace	Pine trees and vertical buildings	Kikyo-mon Gate of the Imperial Palace	Modern beauty	A man cycles with his dog	Men resting in the park	Tokyo National Museum	Honkan building front	Jomon Vessel (3000-2000 BC)

Dawn of the Japanese Art	A beautiful statuette	Typical Japanese clay work	Reading about this Important Cultural Property piece	Seated Nikko Basatsu	An ancient Buddha statue	Admiring the Pine Trees by Hasegawa Tohaku	Fascination of the Japanese with this work	Detail of the 4 seasons landscape	Four seasons landscape

Samurai war equipment	Samurai swords	Japanese fashion	Snow and frozen pond	48 bronze statues	Avalokisevara statue	Gallery of Horyuji Treasures	Painter working on the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures	Set to continue painting	Gate of former warlord palace

People returning from Toshogu Shrine	Alley to Toshogu Shrine	Wishes of good fortune	Wishes in all languages	Toshogu Shrine	Deciphering inscriptions	Shinobazu Pond	The ducks rush to bread given out	Ducks in Shinobazu Pond	Benten-do Temple

Altar of Benten-do Temple	Ringing the gong	Enjoying a meal together	Benten-do Temple in the middle of Shinobazu Pond	Shinobazu Pond	An avid photographer	Poverty amidst riches	A poor homeless man eats on the floor	Benten-do Temple in the middle of Shinobazu Pond	Tank full of fugu fish

Fugu fish aquarium in a busy street	Screams from the roller coaster ride	An impressive vertical drop machine	Snoopy Town	Cos-play zoku girls	Fooling around in pretty extreme attire	Groups of cos-play-zoku girls	The gangs, near Harajuku station	Typically short skirts with high knickers or boots	Extravaganza of cos-play-zoku

The girls are very amused, as passer-bys watch	A few men join in as well	Eastern entrance to Meiji Garden	Beautiful dusk light on the tall trees	Offerings in Meiji Shrine Park	Entrance of Meiji Shrine	Inside the Meiji Shrine grounds	Writing wishes on wooden blocks	Placing wishes in Meiji Shrine	Also a notice for foreigners

And so even foreigners join in with wishes	Making wishes inside the shrine	Monks in Meiji Shrine	Beautiful alignment	Skyscraper seen from the Meiji Park	Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office	Shinjuku tall buildings	The round building facing the TMG Towers	The Park Tower	Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Towers

View of Shinjuku	Busy Yasukuni-Don Avenue	View of Sendagaya	Beautiful dawn silhouette of Mount Fuji	Western Tokyo	Western view from the Park Hyatt	TMG towers	TMG towers and western Shunjuku	View towards central Tokyo	Bright lights of Shinjuku

New York Cafe	Washington Hotel's stunning design	Lights of the Washington Hotel	Games in a loud room	Yodobashi store	A busy shopping street in western Shinjuku	My gyoza dinner	Japan rail in the evening	Sleeping or with an electronic gadget	Amusement Park

My local sushi dinner	Japanese dinner at the hotel	About to go to the onsen	The onsen dry room	Japanese bath	Foot massage machine	A whole manga collection on offer	Vitaliy's habu snake	Crowds at Shin-Yokohama station	Shinkansen platter

A small kiosk	A typical Japanese girl	Rail station crowd and shops	Young girl enjoying a free ride	Here comes our shinkansen	First view of Mount Fuji	The lady points out the sea	Mount Fuji towers over Central Honshu	Sleeping in the Shinkansen	Snowy landscapes

The sun is out again	Schoolchildren at the Kyoto train station	Entrance gate to Horyu-ji temple	Detail of a roof figure lion	Beauty of the site	A group of tourists gets a big picture taken	Entering the centre of Horyu-ji	Horyu-ji pagoda	Altar	Main shrine

Beautiful and massive wooden structure	The ancient bronze buddhas	Gold-covered Buddha	What a tourist!	Sun and wind brushing the temple building	Beautiful details on the roof	A tortuous old tree	Purifying water	Suddenly snow, in the Horyu-ji treasures museum	Lovely snow flakes at Horyu-ji

A simple side building at Horyu-ji	Snow storm at Horyu-ji!	The scene changes completely with the snow	Picturesque and timeless snow on Horyu-ji	Feeding the cheeky deer near Todai-ji	Curiosity meets fright	Those deer are hungry for more from the tourists	Here come the deer!	Deer food for sale	Feeding the deer in Nara

Welcome to Todai-ji	Cheeky deer of Todai-ji up close	Massive entrance to Todai-ji	Impressive wooden entrance	Splendid Todai-ji temple at sunset	How splendid is Todai-ji?	The biggest bronze Buddha in Japan at Todai-ji	Peace of the Buddha	Another bright bronze Buddha	Fearsome wooden warrior

The hole that brings luck to those who pass through it	Working my way inside the hole in the pillar	Making my way through the lucky hole	Squeezing my way out	Large butterfly on a decorative bronze vase	Peaceful sunset colours in the empty Todai-ji	Detail of Todai-ji's monumental facade	Quietness of Todai-ji	A few deer remain as the night falls	Simple light of Todai-ji's gate

An old wooden house	Koy carps	Charm of Japanese wooden houses	A simple pagoda in Nara	Shrine in Nara	Each shrine is unique	Having dinner	In our guesthouse	Looking at the map carefully...	Trying to figure out my next Carcassonne move

A side street of old houses	Waking up at breakfast	Imperial Gardens and Palace	Long walls of the Imperial Palace	Just look at this (cold) tourist...	A typical Japanese dog	Entrance of Ryokan-ji	A fierce protective guardian	Finesse of wooden decorations	Pagoda in Ryokan-ji temple complex

The main shrine of Ryokan-ji, on top of the hill	Bronze inscriptions on an incense burner	Tying prayers	Each detail is superb	Figurine on the roof's edge	Making an offering and a prayer	Ryokan-ji shrine	Light caresses the exquisite structure	Peaceful lake and colours	Wooden bridge and red gate

Simple elegance	The former mansion now hosting the zen garden	Simple beauty of the interiors	Crowds gather to see the zen garden	Makes you wonder...	Nature shaped by man	One of Japan's most famous zen gardens	Bronze bell	Calligraphy as a form of art	Light and shades in the soft and peaceful gardens

Pureness of lines going to a small building	Another quiet garden	A revered figure	The lake sits still	The splendid golden Pavillion	Snow falls gently on the Golden Pavillion	Coin offerings for good luck	Golden Pavillion in its natural setting	An old tea house	Tea ceremony setting

Last views of the Golden Pavillion	I love Japanese architecture!	Kanji sign for "big" in the mountain	Gates leading to the shrine	Entrance of the shrine with two cones	The main shrine, surrounded by water and gardens	A woman leaves her consultation with a priest	Inside the main shrine building	Where one can be purified before entering the shrine	Entrance of a small shrine on a hill

Lanterns in the small shrine	Simple offerings in a small shrine	The basic altar	Me and a pagoda friend	Fellow traveller and photographer	Beautifully simple lines and shades	Silhouette of the shrine's entrance	A man-pulled cart for tourists	Arriving at Shiyozomu temple on top of the hill	View onto Kyoto

Snow blesses our visit	The most gorgeous ritual fountain	Take water if you dare	The main building	A splendid site on the hillside	Inside the main building	The famous fountain bringing luck	Gorgeous temple and setting	Rich and bright shrine	Amazing nature around ...

Taking water for luck	Vitaliy gets a special angle	The site on the hill's slope	Toji pagoda - the country's tallest	Entering the grounds of Toji temple	Lake reflection of the pagoda	Red and white of winter in Kyoto	Kyoto Tower	Entering Nishi...	Bottom of a light decoration

Elegant doors to a temple building	Praying peacefully	Snow forms new shapes on the wooden passageway	Richness of the shrine	Music-playing apsara	Golden room on the side	Nishi... temple	My last dragon fountain	Full length of the Noizumo Shinkansen	We meet a maiko on the train platform

What goes on in her mind?	Individual houses near Orchard Road	The Regalia - where Tanguy used to live	Swimming pool at the Regalia	River seen from Robertson Quay	Dashing through Singapore in the taxi	The pool of the Carlton Hotel	Night view of the CBD	A toast to our future!	The night safari show

Singapore MRT	MRT station of Dhoby Gaut	Arrival in Little India	Contrasting architecture	All sorts of Indian models	A fully stocked shop	Indians queuing to send money home	Looking at Indian decorations	Sri Veeramakaliamman temple	Hindu Temple entrance

The amazing figurines of the entrance	Bells on the door moved by worshippers	Decorative flowers	Assembling flowers	Mosque in Little India	Eating at the Thai Express	Having lunch at the Thai Express	Pond at the Botanical Gardens	Turtles in the pond	Vegetation of the Botanical Gardens

At the Orchid Gardens	Orchid Gardens	Frail orchids	Exploring the Orchid Gardens	Lovely orchid	Grotesque statuettes	All sorts of colours	Phalaenopsis	Amusing statuette	Beautiful orchid

Orchid arch	Lawns and lake	Resting on the lawn	Frangipane flowers	Bonsais	Playground	Dining at Halia Restaurant	Me in Singapore	Lunch at the Japanese Sun restaurant	The Merlion in front of the CBD

Tea ceremony for Japanese tourists	Maya Ubud dining area	Paddy fields near Gunung Kawi	Gunung Kawi temple	Gentle water near Gunung Kawi	The stream running through Gunung Kawi	Offerings	Temple carved in the hill of Gunung Kawi	More shrines in Gunung Kawi	Worshippers in Tirta Empul's waters

Bathing in Tirta Empul	Coming to a shrine in Tirta Empul	Lake Batur	Preparations for festivities	Decorations	Creating decorations	View of Lake Batur	Mount Batur	Making sculptures	Offerings to a statuette

Building new statues	Preparing for a ceremony	Batur Temple entrance	Inside Batur Temple	Cafe Lotus, Ubud	Lotus flower	Girls playing around	Details of a temple entrance	Kecak dance	The entranced dancer has finished walking in fire

Morning walk in Maya Ubud hotel	Calm of the morning countryside	Scarecrows in the paddy fields	Close-up on the bats	Constant activity and noise of bats in Goa Lawah	Goa Lawah's temple and bats	A proud owner of fighting cocks	Strange colour for these fighting cocks	New Tenganan village centre	Offerings to an old statuette

New Tenganan village from the top	Candi Dasa lotus pond	Candi Dasa boat by the sea	Women picking flowers	Interrupted by us while picking flowers	Flower collection in the fields	Paddy fields	Life in the paddy fields	Beautiful paddy field view	Distinctively beautiful rice terraces

Working in the paddy fields	Working the land	Women at work	Maya Ubud pool	Chairs by the pool	The pool - Maya Ubud	Maya Ubud pool	The pool of Maya Ubud	Another lovely area by the pool	Flowers and vegetation abound

Private villas of Maya Ubud	The view towards the Spa of Maya Ubud	Beautiful flower	The Spa area - Maya Ubud	Maya Ubud's second pool	A dragonfly at rest	What is this young girl doing?	Preparations for another cremation in Ubud	This is what it's all about!	The men wait to carry the huge tower

The transfer from the Peliatan temple to the procession will soon begin	A symbolic dragon	Parading princess	One of the guards awaits	Here come the dancers	The coffin arrives	Bringing the coffin out of the temple	Lifting the coffin to the tower	Tying the coffin to the tower	Riding the bull

The procession is about to begin	Princess being carried in the procession	Waiting for the rest of the procession	What is the rest of the procession doing?	Joking around between breaks	A kid rides on the bull cart	Carrying the load	Musicians in the procession	The priest	Presiding over part of the procession

Impressive procession	Trying to make it to the cemetary	The tower reaches the cemetary	Bringing down the gold at the top of the tower	Site of the burning in the cemetary	Bringing the coffin down from the tower to the bull	Opening up the bull to receive the corpse	Transferring the corpse into the bull	The bull is set on fire	Amazing flames of the cremation

Towards the end of the cremation	Goa Gajah temple	Statues of Goa Gajah	Kids on Ahmed Beach	A beach near Ahmed	Kids playing on the beach	Ahmed restaurant	Me in Ahmed	Perahu boats in Ahmed	Padangbai from the ferry

A boat in the Padangbai bay	Wehda on the ferry to Lombok	The ferry from Bali to Lombok	Dining at the Novotel Kuta Lombok	Novotel Kuta pool at night	Novotel Kuta beach	Towards the bay at Novotel Kuta	A Japanese couple walks away from local offers	Local children selling their wares	The bay and village near Novotel Kuta

Tanjung Aan beach	The sea near Kuta	Novotel Kuta Lombok	Close-up on the Novotel Kuta Lombok	The bay of Kuta Lombok	A fisherman crosses the lagoon	Fishermen come back with their catch	Fishermen huts on the beach near Kuta	Not much to see at the Pura Meru temple	A beautiful lone tree on top of a valley

Our first glimpse of the Jeruk Manis waterfall	Jeruk Manis waterfall	Jeruk Manis waterfall	Fly warming up on a strange tree	A glimpse of a black monkey	Three girls come to observe us	Quiet social life in the village of Sade	A young calf and its protective mother	A granary built in traditional Sasak style	Calf and cows

A woman asks me to take her picture	Preparing a meal	Traditional house in Sade village	Charm of Sade village	Novotel beach at sunset	Merpati flight from Lombok to Bali	International SOS clinic in Bali	Monkeys everywhere at Uluwatu	Child at a ceremony	Life's tough

Ceremony day at Uluwatu	Offerings by women	The procession	Uluwatu entrance	Cliffs of Uluwatu	Only monkeys can throw litter anywhere	Uluwatu temple on the cliff	The famous Tanah Lot temple	Next to Tanah Lot	Guarded paddy fields

Learning to dance	The waterfall... at last!	Central Singapore	Singapore from the top	Office area	The DHL balloon	Singapore center by night	A boat slowly enters the Singapore River	The marina by night	Me at Indochine restaurant

Old warehouse by the river	Palace temple	The Emerald Buddha	Royal Palace	Temple in Bangkok	Our Bangkok hotel	The new Bangkok airport	My second home dinner	Running the race!	Running the race!

View of Singapore from the sea	Mosque in Male	Coast guard ships	Sitting on the dock of bay	The welcoming beach	Jetty at night	The lights of the jetty and city	Cocktail glasses	Full view of the Laguna Resort island	The sand bank from which to snorkel

Local life in Maafushi	Arriving in Maafushi	Boat to our rescue	Shopping street	Explaining houses built from coral	A young girl walks by	Quiet streets	Looking after her brother	Curious young boy	Boy and bicycle

Quiet life in Maafushi	Catering for tourists	Going for a ride	Biyadoo resort	Heron fishing on the beach	Heron out to fish in the water	Young blacktip reef shark	Perched heron	Crabs by the lagoon	The welcoming beach of Laguna

The jetty towards the resort	Trading goods in Male	A local school with plenty of slogans	Waiting for the New Year at Harbourfront